Monday, October 29, 2012

Sharp cold days are not so positively invigorating when there is an underlying dampness. Sure enough, about tea time, (our new tea time with clocks back an hour to winter time) a particular plump grey cloud was seen approaching. The cloud only produced spits of rain, not like this morning when, it seemed the wet weather was setting in for the day. I am glad that we had three or four hours of bright weather with glaring but cold sunlight. This is a metaphor for our times.We have had the glister, and now, we have cold stark slicing.

My bit of slicing today was putting out a wee bit of washing to dry, it did quite well. Most of it came in cold, a couple or three items were quite damp. Dampness in that instance, is at least 75% drier than the clothing was when it was pegged out. I am not keen on using the tumble drier too much, as we know to our cost that while we economise on fuel our bills soar;our incomes are either frozen, or increases, if any, are nominal and do not offset the soaring daily living costs. Price rises for all necessities are increasing at percentages way above anything that people in work can obtain on salaries. There is no effort to contain any price increases, the effort goes into suppressing incomes; that is the way in our type of economy. It is clear that the majority will have to budget with reduced incomes. It's all about belt-tightening we are told: we are all in it together, we are told; some, visibly more than others. But, then, that is the way with our type of economy.

We are now in the winter of 2012 in more ways than one. I sincerely hope and trust it will not be, to quote Shakespeare....."The winter of our discontent."(Richard III). I do not yet see that it is likely to be, "Made glorious summer ...." by any foreseeable event, for many a year.

You're right Snowbird, the view to the rear and one side of our house is very rural. Our garden neighbours are farmers. There are some hens running free too, they are mainly the responsibility of one of the farm workers. They produce great eggs!

Keeping pace with daily cost of living increases while most incomes are frozen or reduced, is going to be a tough act.